The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer.

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Entrepreneurship is a deeply personal endeavor that requires dedication, discipline, and passion. For most founders, myself included, there is virtually no separation between the personal and professional.

For me, BodeTree’s successes are my successes, and its failures are my failures. When someone attacks my company, I can’t help but take it personally. Unfortunately, this lack of separation between my personal and professional lives has taken its toll.

Looking back, I can see how my tendency to take things personally has clouded my judgment, led to disappointment and prevented me from taking decisive action when needed. While it’s impossible for truly committed entrepreneurs to maintain the same kind of work/life separation that traditional employees enjoy, it is possible to find balance.

There are certain aspects of the entrepreneurial journey that are touchier than others, at least in my case. Identifying these areas and understanding the lessons contained therein is the only way to find the balance that is so vital to success.

Lesson #1: No one will care about your idea as much as you do

When you start a business (or experience any act of creation for that matter), it is easy to become enamored with your ideas. It takes passion and an almost maniacal devotion to get a venture off the ground. Sometimes, however, this passion gets the best of us, and we simply cannot understand how or why others wouldn’t be equally excited.

Here’s the thing: Nobody cares about your ideas as much as you do. It’s a simple fact. When you’re met by prospective clients, investors, family, and even employees who don’t seem to care as deeply about what you’ve built don’t take it personally. Their actions aren’t meant to demean your creation. They simply lack the emotional connection that you’ve built with your business.

As an entrepreneur, it’s your job to figure out how to get others to buy into your vision and share your excitement. Interpreting lukewarm or even negative feedback as some statement on your self-worth is easy, but misguided. Instead, use it as an opportunity for growth, and invest in refining your product and your pitch.

Lesson #2: Keep moving forward, one inch at a time

I’ve written before about how a business in motion tends to stay in motion and that assumption holds true throughout the entrepreneurial journey. But to be fair, some days are just harder than others to keep moving forward. The sales pipeline may slow, an unexpected issue from a vendor pushes out a deadline, or a key contact just took a two-week vacation overseas, as an entrepreneur you’ll certainly see it all.